Portsmouth High School’s Iani Stamenov, seen here during action in the 2013 Division II tournament, is Foster’s Daily Democrat’s tennis player of the year. (Cody Smith/Portsmouth Herald photo)

PORTSMOUTH — As successful as Iani Stamenov’s season with the Portsmouth High School Tennis team was, his best performance of the year might have come in a loss.

During a 5-4 playoff win for the Clippers in the Division II semifinals, Stamenov and his partner Bobby Rizkalla fought to a tough loss at No. 1 doubles. But the way the pair played impressed Portsmouth coach Seab Stanton, who said Stamenov’s resolve inspired the rest of the team.

“It was a wonderful match to watch,” Stanton said. “You can lose a match and still demonstrate great tenacity. The other kids were watching this and were learning as they watched.”

For his part, Stamenov said Oyster River’s Zack Jones and Jesse Bornkessel played the match of their lives.

“Bobby and I both played awesome, but their backs were against the wall,” said Stamenov, who just completed his junior year. “They needed that match and they played stunningly. It helps when you play with your back against the wall and not lose focus. We destroyed them two weeks earlier, but they got every single serve in that match because they were so pumped up.”

Stamenov was undefeated in all but two singles matches this year and led the Clippers to a berth in the D-II final. For the second year in a row, he is Foster’s Daily Democrat’s tennis player of the year. At doubles, he and Rizkalla were undefeated during the regular season.

As a team, the Clippers went into the D-II championship match undefeated with a 16-0 record, but were no match for Hanover, which was also undefeated, in the final. Hanover won 9-0, ending what had been a successful season for Stamenov and the rest of the team.

“Overall I’m happy we made it to the finals,” Stamenov said. “Personally, it was the most pumped I’ve ever been to play, and that was what led to not playing to my top ability. I wanted to do so well for the team, I was frustrated at every point. The pressure made me play worse.”

Stamenov said he plays best when he doesn’t put any pressure on himself.

“I play best when I just don’t care,” Stamenov said. “It’s not that I don’t care, I just don’t over-focus. In my head I play best when I tell myself I’m playing for fun.”

It’s a philosophy that has served Stamenov well, Stanton said.

“He has a great temperament, even when things aren’t going well,” Stanton said. “He doesn’t get ruffled. That serves him well when times are tough. It’s easy to win a match but when he’s under the gun, he fights through.”

In that regard, despite the disappointing ending, the 2013 season was a heck of a lot of fun for Stamenov. A natural athlete with experience playing numerous sports (he plays soccer, intramural soccer and skis), Stamenov said he appreciates the every-man-for-himself aspect of tennis.

“I really enjoy one-on-one sport,” Stamenov said. “We do have a team, but in one-on-one competition in general, you can’t blame anyone but yourself.”

Stamenov recently suffered a physical setback as a result of offseason surgery unrelated to tennis. The result was seven weeks of bedrest, which will require him to miss a chunk of classroom time to start his senior year. It also sabotaged his plan to play soccer for Portsmouth after not playing his junior year.

“It might affect my tennis, but the biggest problem was I was planning on playing soccer this year,” Stamenov said. “I’m pretty upset about that.”

(Stanton was unaware of Stamenov’s setback when contacted by Foster’s and declined comment).

Stamenov does not plan to be idle the next seven weeks. He is taking three Advanced Placement courses in preparation for college and will spend most of his time recovering hitting the books. He said he’s undecided about playing tennis in college but plans to major in a scientific field, possibly premed.

He also said he plans to be back to playing tennis in the spring.

“My plan is to try to learn all the material before I get into the (AP) classes,” Stamenov said. “Usually I get stressed out in classes, so If I learn beforehand, I’ll come into school stress-free and I’ll be able to focus on sports better.”

The rest of the New Hampshire tennis community should consider itself warned.